Boundary Review Task Force Finalizes Work

The Boundary Review Task Force finished its work on a final boundary adjustment scenario at its Dec. 11 meeting. The Task Force’s goal was to arrive at consensus on a set of recommendations that balances attendance between high school feeder systems, aligns future student populations with future school capacities, and identifies implications for the 2018 bond program.

The Task Force members approached the work with an equity focus, and with the School Board’s guiding principles in mind. This means that the Task Force considered the effects of adjustments on underserved and marginalized groups and discussed potential negative or unintended consequences. The group also approached changes with the intent to minimize disruption to existing boundaries as much as possible, considered walk zones, safety and other principles.

The Task Force co-chairs will work with district staff to draft a recommendation report that describes the adjustments and the work of the Task Force, which will be presented to Superintendent Perry at the January 15, 2019 School Board meeting. The School Board will hear the first reading of the proposal at the meeting and is scheduled to vote on the proposal at its Feb. 12, 2109 meeting.

The adjustment proposal is the result of 10 weeks of hard work by the more than 40 community members serving on the Task Force. Task Force members met in two- to three-hour sessions each week and held two public engagement dates to receive feedback from the community on boundary adjustments. The public engagement events were attended by close to 700 community members and nearly 500 boundary adjustment survey responses were received.

Adjusting school boundaries is challenging and complex work. Thanks to the commitment and perseverance of the members of the Task Force, the district is positioned to provide healthier, more productive learning environments for students by relieving overcrowding and preparing schools for future growth.